I don't understand...

It never fails, I read comments from cat owners and invariably after describing the attributes of their feline friends, a comment is made about how much like a dog their cat is. And they seem proud of this fact!

Huh?

Why is it desirable for a cat to be like a dog? If I wanted my pet to be like a dog, I would have adopted a DOG. But I didn't! I chose cats! I love my cats, love how they act, (well, for the most part ) how they react to me.

I am totally with you. Plus some of the things Owners describe are things cats do- like retrieving toys when they are babies. Orion e.g. liked to retrieve his feather wand and ask me to play with him- he has only now when he was three stopped to do this. Filou and Tigris were exactly the same.

To the contrary in this house. I'm always saying that Myndi is part cat for a lot of different reasons. One prime example - she is as stubborn and hard headed (strong-willed ) and independant as any cat that I ever had. Have you ever heard the saying "never try to out-stubborn a cat"? I just change "cat" to "Myndi" and it fits like a glove.

I don't doubt that people who say their cats act dog like, love them any less for it, and each animal is unique in their mannerisms. That's what makes each one special in their own way, and their owners proud of it.

Of course I must say again - JMHO.....

Perhaps when cats and dogs live together in the same household, they pick up on the actions of each other. I once had a cat that would run to see who was at the door if he heard someone there. Definitely more a dog-like action, than that of a cat.

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Wolfy ~ Fuzzbutt #3

My little dog ~ a heartbeat at my feet

Sparky the Fuzzbutt - PT's DOTD 8/3/2010
RIP 2/28/1999~10/9/2012

Myndi the Fuzzbutt - Mom's DOTD - Everyday
RIP 1/24/1996~8/9/2013

Ellie - Mom to the Fuzzbuttz

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1

The clock of life is wound but once and no man has the power
To know just when the hands will stop - on what day, or what hour.
Now is the only time you have, so live it with a will -
Don't wait until tomorrow - the hands may then be still.
~~~~true author unknown~~~~

Gee wizz

I have both cats and a dog. I never noticed a particular lean toward either in comments from owners. It just never occurred to me to weigh the comments. I think my cats have some dog traits and my dog is often cat like in behavior. I am not proud or embarrassed by either group's behavior and traits. Maybe I am just one of those folks who doesn't pay attention to such things or take it very seriously. I love 'em just the way they are...as I bet we all do.

I have often said Trixie thinks she is a dog and Callie thinks she is a cat. It was merely an observation based on their attitides and actions, not a desire to have Callie become a cat and Trixie turn into a dog.

It would be rather comical though to have them swap.... another "Freaky Friday" scenario! Callie would be thrilled to be able to jump up and eat the cat food that she cant reach. Trixie would finally be welcome outside. Then they would realize they liked their real lives and wish upon a star that they return to their own fur.

I have two dogs and two cats. One of my cats sometimes does "dog-like" things. I didn't choose him because of this, in fact he was too young for me to even know this about him. Maybe he picked it up from the dogs. But I still love him just the same. Both of my cats fetch toys. I'm beginning to realize this is not a dog thing afterall.
I don't read into that too much when people say it. It's not a big deal to me either way.

Our goal in life should be - to be as good a person as our dog thinks we are.

I have had Cats who have had traits that are considered canine like fetching and coming when they are called and thats a good thing especially when its carrier time to the Vets.
Of course all my Found Hotel Cats come when they hear that shaking of the Whiska Temptations pouch , as do Dogs I bet when they hear their treats shaken!!!

My cats act like cats, and that is why I love them! None of them fetch (good, my past dogs have driven me crazy with that!), they don't ask for me to take them to the park, they don't keep the neighbors up barking all hours of the night (they're actually pretty quiet at night), they DO greet me at the door when I come home from work (not all of my dogs did this, so I consider it a "cat thing" to do).
Dogs have their good points, they will sometimes protect their owners,which cats are not known to do very often, they are cute when they wag their tails when you come into view (when any of my cats swish their tail, it is not generally because they are happy). Cats don't play Frisbee with you (the very best thing dogs do, in my opinion), so they have that over cats. But, by and large, I enjoy the traits of cats more than that of dogs and that is why I own cats. Dogs are wonderful in their own way, though, and I understand why people own them.

You do hear this if you hang around with bichon folks. Bichons share many traits which are considered cat traits: they do NOT like to be on the floor, they must be UP - on a chair, the sofa, the BACK of the sofa, a lap, the higher up the calmer they are. They flick their tails like cats do, to express emotion as well.

Two of my cat play fetch with a ball. Like a dog - we say this as most people consider fetch to be a dog thing, so it is rare to experience a cat doing it. I don't know that I am proud my cat is like a dog, but I am amazed that she will do something I thought cats do not do at all.

I sometimes describe the huskies, epsecially Skya, as "cat-like." Mostly because they don't bark/are very quiet (I know huskies are generally not known to be quiet, but mine are. Keva is the loudest she's vocal at dinner time Nebo and Skya hardly make a sound) and they are not as demanding of attention as a lot of dogs. They also like to sit on top of things, Skya will find the tallest thing she can find the yard and always be on top of it, just sitting and looking around. If she was capable of climbing a fence I guarantee she'd be sitting on top of the fence all day long. Skya is also like a lot of cats in that she loves her humans but isn't too fond of strangers, if strangers come over she disappears you wouldn't even know I had 4 dogs. She also will pounce like a cat, if you move your hand or a toy around you'll get her attention from across the room and she'll run over and pounce. She also LOVES it when you scratch the side of her face and she will really push her head into your hand like a cat, my other dogs love to be scratched too of course but not like she does. She also does not understand the concept of fetch, she'll chase stuff, but rarely bring it back (Nebo and Keva will both fetch). She thinks that she is supposed to sit on the arm of the couch (I know a lot of little dogs do this too - but she's 40 lbs). Anyway, I describe Skya has cat-like because she does things that remind me of a cat, not because I want her to be a cat, and I don't mean it as a cats vs. dogs thing there's just "cat-like" traits and "dog-like" traits.

As you all know, we have been running these sights since 1997 and 1998. I have often noticed that when people are trying to compliment a cat they say it is dog-ile, compliment a dog they say it is human-like, and horses are sometime compared to dogs or humans, but usually dogs! There are a few breeds - Sandra mentioned her Bichons, but Shiba Inus are also another mentioned as a dog that is "cat-like" in a complimentary way. But usually it seem s distinct pattern - among folks other than Pet Talkers of course:

cat or horse < Dog < human - and as much as we love fellow human beings, only us Pet Talkers would compliment someone by calling a human dog- or cat-like, with humans for some reason, it is usually considered an insult to be seen as dog-like or catlike!

Two of my cat play fetch with a ball. Like a dog - we say this as most people consider fetch to be a dog thing, so it is rare to experience a cat doing it. I don't know that I am proud my cat is like a dog, but I am amazed that she will do something I thought cats do not do at all.

My one cat LOVES to play fetch with a ball of Foil ONLY!
She will bring it to me and drop it in my lap to let me know its playtime.
I throw it, she gets it, brings it back and drops it for me to throw again.
Some mornings I wake up and find foil in the bed
One of my others when I throw it she runs to it and stares at it...then she walks away

My cat Buddy acts like a dog. I cannot explain it. When Casey went to the Rainbow Bridge Buddy took on some of her personalities. He greets me at the door like a dog, he begs like a dog, he goes outside on a harness and leash like a dog. LOL.

Now as far as my grandpuppy Zoey, she acts like a cat! She plays with the catnip mice when she comes to visit. She throws them up in the air and paws at them like a cat.

2 cats Ive had will come to their name and one would fetch. The one that would fetch actually liked to be thrown.

The cat that liked to be tossed and fetch was raised by my step moms dog. The dog taught him to sit, speak, beg, and open the porch door. He didnt meow, he tried to bark. He actually tried to wag his tail even. He and his sisster would even chase the horses with the dogs.

Erp will usually come when called, but thats it. The dogs are her bitches however.